And Now There Is One... BMW i3 Declared 2014 World Green Car

NEW YORK, April 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- At a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show and Bridgestone Corporation, the BMW i3 was declared the 2014 World Green Car.

The BMW i3 was chosen from an initial entry list of fourteen new vehicles from all over the world, then a short list of three finalists that included the winner as well as the Audi A3 Sportback g-tron and the Volkswagen XL1.

"To have the BMW i3 named World Green Car of the Year is a great honor," said Dr. Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Sales and Marketing BMW. "From the production process onwards, the BMW i3 is a truly sustainable vehicle, created with the needs of the 21st century city in mind."

The World Green Car award is presented by Bridgestone Corporation (Japan). Mike Martini, President, Original Equipment, U.S. & Canada Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations said, ""Bridgestone has a longstanding global commitment to environmental sustainability, and it is our privilege to again sponsor the World Green Car award. It is only by working together as One Team, One Planet that we will achieve true sustainability in the auto industry."

The BMW Group also won the 2008 World Green Car award for the BMW 118d with Efficient Dynamics.

The World Green Car award is presented by Bridgestone Corporation (Japan). Mike Martini, President, Original Equipment, U.S. & Canada Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations said, "We are very pleased and honored to sponsor the 2014 World Green Car award. The environment is everyone's responsibility. And throughout our global family of companies, we take this responsibility very seriously. We believe it is our mission to serve society with superior quality".

To be eligible for the 2014 World Green Car award, a vehicle had to be all-new, or substantially revised, in production and introduced for sale or lease to the public in quantities of at least 10 in at least one major market during the period beginning January 1, 2013 and ending May 31, 2014. Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and use of a major advanced power plant technology (beyond engine componentry), aimed specifically at increasing the vehicle's environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration.

Due to the complexity of some of the 'green' technologies, five green experts were appointed by the World Car Awards Steering Committee to extensively review all documentation and specs associated with each candidate. They were asked to create a finalists' short-list for review by the sixty-nine World Car Awards' jurors in their second round of voting in February. The jurors' ballots were then tabulated by the international accounting firm KPMG.

The experts commented that, "Radical in looks, construction, and powertrain, the BMW i3 is one of very few clean-sheet-of-paper cars designed from the ground up for efficiency, with the different needs of the new century's megacities in mind. From its last-kilometer navigation system to take drivers from car to destination, to the shipped-around-the-world carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic body shell without a B-pillar, the BMW i3 pushes boundaries on many fronts".

Previous World Green Car winners were the Tesla Model S in 2013, the Mercedes-Benz S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY in 2012, the Chevrolet Volt in 2011, the Volkswagen BlueMotion in 2010, the Honda FCX Clarity in 2009, the BMW 118d with Efficient Dynamics in 2008, the Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec in 2007 and the Honda Civic Hybrid in 2006

About the World Car Awards

Now in their tenth year, the annual World Car Awards are now the number one awards program in the world based on Prime Research's 2013 report. The awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale. The awards are intended to complement, not compete, with existing national and regional Car of the Year programs.

The awards are administered by a non-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee of pre-eminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America. Peter Lyon (Japan) and Matt Davis (Italy) are the co-chairs; Jens Meiners (Germany), Mike Rutherford (U.K.), Eddie Alterman (USA), and Gerry Malloy (Canada) are the directors. There is no affiliation with, nor are the awards in any way influenced by any publication, auto show, automaker, or other commercial enterprise.

PHOTOS from today's press conference are available for download on our web site at www.wcoty.com > Award Photos.

About PRIME RESEARCH

PRIME Research International, a global leader in strategic communication research and consultancy, has joined forces with the World Car Awards to provide strategic studies in the fields of automotive assessment criteria and automotive awards. PRIME Research is a well-trusted research partner for the automotive industry with a broad range of automotive clients. PRIME Research sets the standard in automotive media research by providing strategic benchmark information and SWOT analyses on over 100 brands and over 10,000 different automobile models.

About BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION

Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world's largest tire and rubber company. In addition to tires for use in a wide variety of applications, it also manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world.

About the 2014 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS)

Showcasing the latest automotive trends, the 114-year old New York International Auto Show will unveil an extensive collection of the most technologically advanced vehicles on display anywhere in the world. The OICA-sanctioned event is owned and produced by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.